


Puppy Love

by tufano79



Category: Twilight Series - All Media Types, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Erotica, F/M, Family, Humor, Pets, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-19
Updated: 2013-10-19
Packaged: 2017-12-29 20:57:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1010021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tufano79/pseuds/tufano79
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Puppy Love takes place between The Geek's Guide to Parenthood and Surviving the Teenage Dream. Kyra is in eighth grade, Owen in seventh. Mia and Masen are both in third grade. Masen, on his way home from school, finds a dog hiding in the bushes. He takes him home, hiding him his bedroom. Edward and Owen are sneezing something awful and they cannot figure out why. </p><p>There will be kid cuteness, SGD/Nerdella loving and dog adoption (along with some major allergy medication dispensation). Poor SGD …</p>
            </blockquote>





	Puppy Love

**Author's Note:**

> [](http://s920.photobucket.com/user/jthlavacs/media/PuppyLove_zps54738d9b.png.html)

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Banner by:** Evilnat

****_Puppy Love: An ANSOL Outtake by Tufano79  
  
_

**Rated:** NC17 ****  
  


 **Warnings:** Strong Sexual Content, Heavy use of snark, adorable kiddos and a tissue warning at the end. Read at your own discretion.

**Beta:** AJasperForMe ****  
  


 **Summary:** _Puppy Love_ takes place between _The Geek's Guide to Parenthood_ and _Surviving the Teenage Dream_. Kyra is in eighth grade, Owen in seventh. Mia and Masen are both in third grade. Masen, on his way home from school, finds a dog hiding in the bushes. He takes him home, hiding him his bedroom. Edward and Owen are sneezing something awful and they cannot figure out why.

  
There will be kid cuteness, SGD/Nerdella loving and dog adoption (along with some major allergy medication dispensation). Poor SGD … 

 

Written in 3rd person POV.

 

**_Puppy Love: An ANSOL Outtake_ **

“Don’t forget to read the next two chapters in _Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing_ ,” said the teacher, Mrs. Smith. “We’ll be talking about those chapters tomorrow during English.” The class groaned as the bell rang. “Have a good day, boys and girls. See you tomorrow.”

“I hate reading,” Mia grumbled. “It’s stupid.”

“Don’t let Mom hear you,” Masen snickered as he packed up his bag.

“Yeah, yeah,” Mia sighed. “Do you have anything after school today, Mase?”

“Nope. I’m looking forward to going home and playing on the PS3 with Owen. We’ve got some zombies to kill after school,” Masen smirked. “You?”

“Karate. It’s my first lesson. Wish me luck,” Mia said as she slid on her backpack. “Mom tried to convince Kyra to join us but she had cheerleading practice at the high school. She made the team and they are starting to learn the cheers for next fall.” Mia wrinkled her nose at the mention of cheerleading practice. “I refuse to be one _those_ girls, Masen. They’re so … so … girly.”

“Mia, you’re a girl,” Masen deadpanned as they left Pleasant Hill Elementary School. Mia smacked Masen playfully on the arm. He just shrugged and they continued along their usual route home. As they were walking, Masen felt like they were being followed. He kept turning around, but saw nothing.

“Dude, what’s your deal?” Mia asked, arching a brow. “I thought you got over your fear of trees that eat you. You need to stop watching _The Wizard of Oz._ ”

“I feel like we’re being followed, Mia,” he replied, rolling his eyes. “I thought we were not going to talk about that. And it was the throwing of the apples that freaked me out. I hate apples, not the trees. You had nightmares about the witch. Not the green one, the one in the bubble. We couldn’t blow bubbles for like a year, Mia.”

“You are crazy. I just want to get home,” Mia shrugged. She began walking faster while Masen slowed down, determined to figure why he felt like he was being followed. _Is it the trees? Nope. Not going to go down that road. Stop it, Cullen._ Though, he checked every bush, every tree and every turn, he found nothing. He was almost home when he heard low whimper.

“What is that?” he asked, searching around his surroundings. _I knew it wasn’t a tree!_ A quiet yip got his attention and underneath a small shrub was a medium-sized dog. The dog’s eyes were black and inquisitive, eager to make a new friend. His coat was black mottled with red but was covered in dirt and grime. He obviously had lived out in the wild for a while. “Hey buddy,” he murmured, crouching down. He held out his hand and the dog sniffed it before licking it. It was warm and tickled slightly. “Were you the one following me home?”

The dog’s tail wagged pitifully and he limped toward Masen, sitting on the ground next to his side. “Are you hurt, buddy?” Masen’s hand ran along the dog’s back and he felt every bone in the dog’s body. He was obviously underfed. Once he reached the dog’s right back leg, the dog whimpered. He snuggled closer to Masen, looking up at him pitifully. “Come on, buddy. My parents are going to flip out but I can’t just leave you here.” He picked up the dog and carried it back to the house.

It was springtime in Illinois, so the weather could be a bit wonky. Today, it was very nice … warm even. A week ago, it was freezing with the possibility of snow. _It’s April. No. More. Snow._  Masen couldn’t leave his new friend outside.  After wracking his brain, he decided to bring him in the house. He put the dog down and begged him to stay. “Don’t move, buddy. I have to sneak you in. Okay?” The dog cocked its head and its tongue hung out happily. Masen shot the dog another look as he snuck into the house. Mia was in her room. Kyra wasn’t home; she was at school for cheerleading practice. Owen was in the basement, growling at the television.

“Mia, we’ve got to go!” Masen’s mom, Bella Cullen, shouted, walking into the kitchen. Masen ducked out of the house and stayed out of sight, watching his mom. “I still have to sign all of the waivers and stuff. Not to mention pay for this shindig.”

“Coming, Mom. I just don’t know how to put on this karate thing,” Mia said as she stomped down the stairs. She was wearing a pair of white pants but she held a white top in her hands. She had on a tank top, thankfully. Bella sighed and put the white karate top on, tying it expertly.

“Have you seen your brother?” she asked Mia, tucking his sister’s hair behind her ears.

“Owen or Masen?”

“Masen,” Bella asked.

Mia saw Masen hiding just outside of the house. He shook his head, begging her to not say anything. “No. I think he ran into a friend on the way home from school. He’ll be home for dinner, though.”

“Okay,” Bella said. “You ready?”

“No,” Mia snorted.

“Come on, goofy girl. Let’s teach you some self-defense,” Bella laughed, dragging her out of the house.

Masen stayed outside until he saw his mom’s Land Rover back out of the garage, driving down the street. Once it was gone, Masen picked up the dog and scampered up the stairs to his room. In his room, he noticed the dog was filthy, covered in dirt and muck. “I probably should give you a bath, buddy.” The dog’s tail drooped but resignedly followed Masen into the bathroom he shared with his sister. Masen pulled out several older towels and helped the dog into the tub. He wrinkled his nose and tried to figure out the easiest way to handle this. Thankfully all of the tubs had the handheld showerheads. Masen nodded and decided to use that.

Making sure the water wasn’t too hot; Masen rinsed off the dog and was shocked at the amount of grime and crap on the dog’s coat. Within minutes, the tub was black. _Ewww,_ Masen thought to himself. _This is going to be brutal to clean._ With a heavy sigh, Masen went about washing the dog. He used baby shampoo he found in the cabinet. He massaged the dog’s body, creating a rich lather. Despite the dog’s earlier hesitancy to get in the tub, he seemed to like the feeling of being cleaned and massaged. His tongue was hanging out of his mouth and his tail was wagging excitedly.

Twenty minutes and a bottle of shampoo later, the dog was clean. Masen wiped him with the towel before helping him out of the tub. “Sit,” Masen said. The dog obeyed immediately. “Good boy,” he grinned, scratching behind the dog’s ears. He turned back to the tub. “Ugh, this is a mess. Next time, you wash yourself.” The dog yipped in agreement.

Once the bathtub was pristine, Masen led the dog into his room. It jumped up onto the bed, lying with his head on Masen’s pillow. Masen snorted, sitting next to the dog. “I should give you a name, buddy. What do you like?” The dog cocked its head. “Right, you’re a dog. You can’t talk. Hmmm, how about Sprocket?”

The dog dropped his head to his legs. “Max?” Head still stayed down. “Wrigley?” The dog’s head shot up, his tongue hanging out. “You like Wrigley?” His tail began wagging. “Wrigley, my dad will like that. He’s a Cub’s fan. Huge Cub’s fan. Every year he prays for a miracle. It hasn’t happened yet.”  

Masen scratched behind Wrigley’s ears. “Now, we’ve got to figure this out, Wrigley. You’re going to stay here, okay? But you’ve got to be quiet. It’s important that you’re quiet. I’ll take you outside early in the morning and again when I get home from school. Please don’t use my bed as your toilet. I outgrew the plastic fitted sheet when I was six.”

Wrigley seemed to nod before putting his head back down on the bed. “Food, I don’t know what dogs like but I’m certain I can find something. Speaking of which, let me get you something now. Stay, Wrigley.” The dog didn’t move as Masen hopped off the bed.

He went through the bathroom, tossing the wet towels into the laundry as he went down to the kitchen. He began rooting around in the refrigerator, trying to find something for Wrigley. Masen found some chicken breasts and plain rice. He swiped them out of the fridge. Carrying the food, he found a paper plate and a plastic bowl for some water. He darted up the stairs and filled the water bowl for Wrigley. He put it on the floor, next to the closet and made the plate for the dog. Placing the plate next to the water, Wrigley devoured the two chicken breasts and rice in minutes. Masen chuckled, petting Wrigley’s head. The dog nuzzled Masen’s face, kissing his nose in appreciation. “You’re a good boy, Wrigs.”

xx PL xx

Edward Cullen came home from work just before dinner. He was tugging on his tie, loosening it as he placed his laptop bag next to the island in the kitchen. Bella was cooking dinner, making chicken enchiladas. “Smells so good, gorgeous,” he smiled crookedly, walking over to his wife and kissing her lips.

“I had leftover chicken breasts and it seemed like a good idea,” she grinned. “Though, I’m missing two.”

“Maybe Owen or Masen got hungry after school,” Edward shrugged. He wrinkled his nose. “Does it smell in here?”

“All I smell is the food,” Bella replied. “Perhaps we need to attack the boys’ rooms. Owen’s room is quite pungent. Does he ever change his socks?”

“He’s a seventh grade boy,” Edward deadpanned. “You’re lucky he showers on a semi-regular basis. However, his underwear could probably stand on their own.”

“Oh gross, Edward,” Bella squealed, smacking his arm. “Were you ever that disgusting as a kid?”

“God no,” Edward snickered. “I was quite fastidious as a child. Hell, you saw where I lived prior to moving in with you. Everything had its spot and ... yeah. Anal retentive was my middle name. It drove Younger crazy.  Emmett was the slob who didn’t like to shower. Ever. It was a losing battle in our household. My parents used to scream at Emmett about the stench that was emanating from his room. When he moved out, they had to use a fumigator and completely replace the carpeting. There were parts of the rug that were molded through from the food that was left in there. Ugh! I need a shower just thinking about that.” Edward shuddered and went to wash his hands.

Okay, scoured his hands.

“How was Alice?” Bella asked, arching a brow.

“A typical girl. Into nice clothes and smelling good. She had every single Bath and Body Works Body Spray and doused herself in it. She had her sloppy moments, but when Emmett trampled on her new pink coat as a kid with muddy boots, she learned quickly to pick up after herself.”

“We have been pretty lucky with our kiddos,” Bella smiled, working on making some Mexicali rice.

“Do I have time to change? I hate wearing the monkey suit.”

“I love you in the monkey suit,” Bella purred, rubbing her hands down Edward’s lapel of his navy blue suit. “You look so sexy and powerful.”

“That’s exactly what I was going for,” he deadpanned. Bella giggled. “Seriously, I was. Well, the powerful part. We had a meeting with New York Police Department for a possible order of the mini-microphone and discussion about working with their technicians to create a more accurate camera system to be mounted all around the city. Their red light system isn’t that good and they’ve seen the improvements here in Chicago, the substantial decrease in crimes and increase in arrests with the cameras I developed for them.”

“How did it go with the NYPD?”

“We got the contract. Go us!” Edward beamed, giving a fist pump. “Seriously though, I’ve got to change. I think I’ve gained weight since I last wore this suit. It’s too tight in the pants.”

“Oooh, Sexy Geeky Daddy is getting fat,” Bella snickered, poking at Edward’s still flat belly.

“Shut it,” he grumbled. “I’m not getting fat. I’m just getting older. I’m forty-five, Bella. I can’t process food like I used to.”

“Maybe I should have made these low fat,” Bella said as she checked on the enchiladas.

“Don’t you dare! I’ll start my diet tomorrow,” he growled, wrapping his arms around her waist. He nuzzled Bella's neck, kissing just below her ear. “Love you, gorgeous.”

“Hmmm, love you more, angel,” she whispered. “Go change. Wear your fat jeans.”

“You suck, Bella.” He blew a raspberry into her neck and went up the stairs. Kyra was in her room with the radio blasting, doing some intricate routine for the cheerleading squad. Owen’s door was open and there was that distinct smell of unwashed-seventh-grade-boy permeating into the hallway. Edward walked into his oldest son’s room. “Owen Masen Cullen, you need to scour this room.”

“Why?” he asked as he put down his violin.

“It smells in here, boy,” Edward snorted. “One day, many, many, many years from now, you will want to bring a girl back to your room and she will not want to smell your stanky socks or unwashed underwear. And when was the last time you changed your sheets?”

“Uh, Christmas?” he blushed, pushing up his glasses.

“Those need to be burned, Owen,” Edward snickered. “This weekend. We have a date to get rid of the funk. I’ll bring the cleaning supplies and you bring the gloves and masks.”

“It’s not that bad, Dad,” Owen deadpanned.

“Yes. It is,” Edward retorted. He ruffled Owen’s slightly greasy hair and walked to Mia’s room. She had just gotten out of the shower and was blasting some Justin Bieber. _Ugh, that’s audible rape. Nastiness, I tell you._ “Hey, my Mia. How was karate?”

“It was okay,” she shrugged. “I don’t like that we can’t wear shoes on those gross mats. Do you know what could be growing on them? I’m going to get a foot fungus or flesh-eating bacteria and have to have my feet amputated.”

“But you could defend yourself,” Edward chuckled, enfolding his youngest girl into a warm embrace. “Did you do your homework?”

“Not yet,” she answered. “I was going to work on my math and social studies before dinner. Then, I have to _read_ for English. I hate reading and the book is dumb.”

“What book?”

“ _Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing_ ,” she sneered. “It’s really stupid. I get why we read it, but I just don’t like the book. I’d rather read something like _Lord of the Rings_ or something with a decent story. It’s so kid-like.”

“I hate to break it to you, kiddo. You’re a kid,” Edward said as he kissed Mia’s forehead. “I understand, though. I was reading grownup books by the time I was your age, too. Breeze through it, ace the test and move on. Love you, Munchkin.”

“Love you, Daddy,” she beamed, kissing his cheek and going to her desk.

The last stop was Masen’s room. The door was closed, which was odd. The only time the doors were closed in the Cullen house was when people were sleeping. Was Masen alright? Edward furrowed his brow and knocked on the door. “Mase? You okay little man?”

“Just a second, Dad,” Masen croaked out. A few seconds later, the door opened and Masen slipped out. “Hi! How was work?”

“It was good. You okay?”

“Yeah. I was just working on some homework and I had the music up. I didn’t want to disturb anyone,” Masen explained, smiling crookedly. His bright blue eyes were gleaming and Edward knew he was hiding something. Masen couldn’t lie for shit.

“Masen?”

“Seriously, Dad,” Masen frowned. “I wanted to finish my homework so I could play PS3 with Owen tonight.”

“Okay,” Edward sighed. Masen hugged his father and slipped back into his bedroom. The music was loud. But something wasn’t right. He turned on his heel, too tired and too uncomfortable to worry about it. The only thing on Edward’s mind was getting the hell out of these pants.

xx PL xx

The next morning, Masen got up before the sunrise and took Wrigley out for a walk. The dog stayed close by and did his business. Thankfully, Masen thought to bring bags for when Wrigley pooped. After they were done, Masen brought Wrigley back to his room and finished getting ready for school. Secretly, though, Masen wanted to go back to bed. So he did.

In Edward and Bella’s room, they were curled with each other. Bella was idly tracing her hand on Edward’s bare torso, murmuring incoherently. Edward stopped her hand and cracked his eyes open. His wife of fifteen years lay asleep in his arms, looking as beautiful as she did when they got married in Arizona. Her brunette hair was strewn over his arms and her breasts were pressed against his side. Unfortunately, her breasts were covered by a tiny camisole.

_I need to address that. I need my wife._

“Bella,” he crooned, nuzzling her soft, fragrant hair.

“Mmmph,” Bella groaned, pressing her face into Edward’s side.

“Gorgeous, wake up,” he sang sweetly, brushing her hair from her face.

“It’s too damn early, Edward. The sun isn’t even up,” she said, opening her eyes to glower at her husband. “And you want some nookie?”

“And this is a bad thing?” he scoffed.

“It is when I need my beauty sleep, SGD,” she snickered, rolling away from him and curling on her side. Edward followed her, wrapping his arm around her waist, slipping his fingers under her camisole. Her skin was warm and silky smooth. Edward’s lips found her neck and he languidly kissed her ear while he massaged her belly, slowly and surreptitiously moving her camisole up. Bella moaned and pressed her ass against Edward’s growing arousal. “You don’t play fair, Edward.”

“Never said I did,” he whispered huskily. “I need my wife, gorgeous. I need to feel her. Please, Bella. Let me love you.” His hand moved up to Bella’s breast, massaging it with his hand. His thumb gently grazed over her nipple, earning a quiet whimper. His lips were gliding down Bella’s neck and with his teeth; he pulled down the strap of the camisole, revealing her perfect breast. “So beautiful,” he murmured.

“You are the devil,” Bella said breathily, stretching her body.

“I try,” Edward chuckled as his mouth tasted her skin. “Are you wet, gorgeous?”

“Now, I am,” she moaned.

“Good. Take off your shorts, love. I want to feel how wet you are,” he commanded. Bella bit her lip and shimmied out of her sleep shorts, underneath were a pair of skimpy panties. Edward pulled back and arched a brow. Bella rolled her eyes and moved her panties over her hips, tossing them onto the ground. His hand moved down the length of her body, massaging her smooth, warm skin. Once his hand reached her knee, he hooked it and moved it over his hip, opening Bella’s body for his sexual exploration. “I want to feel you come on my fingers, Mrs. Cullen.”

“Yes,” Bella moaned. “Oh God, Edward, please?”

“We have to stay quiet. We do have four sleeping children,” Edward said as he kissed Bella’s pink, pouty lips. “I love you, gorgeous. Every day, I love you even more then when we said our vows.”

“I love you so much, Edward,” Bella whispered. “I’m so grateful I married my best friend.”

He smiled against her mouth as his hand found the slick, needy skin between her legs. Bella moaned as his middle finger circled her clit. “So wet, Bella,” Edward panted against her skin. “Who makes you this wet?”

“You do,” she murmured, rocking against his hand. “Fuck ... more, baby. I need to feel more.”

Edward slipped his long fingers inside of Bella’s pussy, feeling the wet, silky walls hug his fingers. His thumb was languidly circling her clit while his fingers were curling inside of his wife’s body. He needed her to come. He wanted her to come once with his hand before he made love to her, taking her from behind. Bella’s lithe body was moving sensually as she ground against Edward’s fingers. Her head was thrown back, rocking against his hand. Edward’s lips were attached to Bella’s neck, moving closer to her exposed breast to taste her overheated flesh with his tongue.

Bella’s body was clenching around Edward’s fingers. Her arousal was spilling out of her body and onto Edward’s hand. The quiet whimpers of his wife made him so hard, begging for his own release. _Soon, Edward._ “Come for me, my Bella,” Edward breathed against her soft, fragrant skin. “I want to feel your pussy come around my fingers, gorgeous.”

“Oh, yes,” she panted. “Harder, Edward.”

Edward began pounding his fingers inside of her body. His other hand grabbed her breast, twisting and massaging her nipples. Bella’s mouth was attached to his ear, whimpering quietly as she squirmed in his vice-like grip, holding her to his body intimately. She tensed up and her pussy clamped down on Edward’s fingers, gushing her release onto his hand. As her silken walls pulsated, Edward pushed down his sleep pants. His cock sprang free and he spread Bella’s legs.

Removing his fingers, he kissed her lips and slid into her still quaking body, earning him another set of moans. His cock reached deep inside of his love, filling her with his entire soul. Their love making was quiet and sensual. Sweat covered them both, making the movement of their bodies easy and graceful. Edward’s lips were covered by Bella’s and his hands were _everywhere._ One hand cupped her breast while the other languorously circled her aroused clit. Bella’s hands were tangled in his hair and cupping Edward’s wrist as he touched her where they were joined.

Bella’s hips moved with Edward’s as he filled her, touching every intimate part of her pussy. Fifteen years with him made Edward her perfect lover. He knew what she loved and how to send her over the edge. Staying connected, Edward rolled them and drew Bella’s ass up, still sliding in and out of her pussy. Bella’s hand took over where his was, touching her clit and bringing her closer to release.

“So beautiful,” Edward murmured as his stared at his wife’s hand between her legs. With a moan, he pulled out of her pussy and brought his swollen head of his cock to her ass. He teased her slowly. She whimpered looking over her shoulder, begging him to fill her in the way neither one of them ever expected to enjoy. However, they tried it and every so often, whenever they wanted to be extra close, Edward would fill Bella’s ass, making love to her that way. Edward’s cock was slick with Bella’s arousal and he slid inside easily.

It was so good like this. So intimate. Sex was amazing with his wife. It always was. But, this was wanton. Taboo. Erotic. Yes, they had had their fun when they first tried it. An entire tube of lubricant exploded all over the bed sheets. It made them both laugh stupidly but relaxed them. They didn’t have anal sex that night, but did experiment, cleaning up the remaining lube with fingers and toys. However, the first time was intense, over-the-top and amazing. Both of them were hooked but they didn’t dabble too often. Edward needed to be close to his wife this morning. He was unsure why, but he loved her for it.

“Oh yes, Edward. So fucking good,” she groaned, burying her face into the pillow.

“Keep playing with that pretty little pussy, Bella,” Edward commanded lowly, moving unhurriedly in and out of her asshole. “I want you to come with me. Can you do that, Bella?”

“If you’re close, then yes,” she giggled, wiggling her ass enticingly. Edward growled, smacking her butt lightly. She moaned, slipping her fingers inside of her pussy, pressing the heel of her hand against her clit. She could feel Edward’s cock between the thin membrane of her pussy and ass. She could feel her arousal drip down her wrist as she fucked herself with her fingers. Edward’s hands were wrapped around her hips, bracing himself as he slowly drove into Bella’s tight hole.

Every muscle in his body was tense and ready to spring. Bella was begging for more with the movement of her body. She moved back to Edward’s hips, pleading with her eyes for him to go faster. “I love you, Bella,” he said as he thrust inside her with all of his strength.

“Yes!” she moaned, feeling her release coming. “More, angel. Please, give me more.”

His thrusts moved harder and faster. The sound of his body smacking hers filled the room. He breathed deeply, wanting to feel every ounce of her release. He also wanted to prolong his. Edward was so close. His balls were tightening and his cock was twitching inside of her body. Bella’s hands were moving jerkily between her legs, indicating she was as close as he was.

Bella’s hand moved from her pussy and she tensed up in front of him. He could feel the power of her orgasm flow through her body. Her powerful orgasm triggered his and his cock twitched inside of her, filling her with his own release. Edward fell forward, pressing soft kisses to his beautiful wife’s back, murmuring his love and adoration of her. As his cock softened, it fell out of her and he fell to her side. Bella lay on her stomach, using Edward’s arm as a pillow. “Not that I’m complaining, but what was that for?” she asked, running her fingers along his ribs, gently touching the tattoo he had gotten when they were first engaged.

“I just wanted you,” he smiled crookedly. “You were rubbing your hand on my belly and your breasts were pressed against me. I got sad because they were hidden by your shirt.”

“They’re still hidden by my shirt,” she giggled, giving him a playful swat to his belly.

“I wanted to make love to you, my Bella,” he said, caressing her slightly flushed cheek. “Besides, our time is usually so filled with our children, the morning is really the only time to do so.”

“But at 5:24 in the morning?” Bella giggled.

“Okay, that was a bit much, but you weren’t complaining,” Edward smirked. Then, he wrinkled his nose. He sneezed so loudly the bed shook. “Oooh, bless me.”

“You okay?” Bella asked, her brow furrowing.

“It’s probably allergies, gorgeous,” he sniffled as he sneezed four more times. “Really bad allergies.”

Bella got up from the bed, pulling on her panties before scampering to their shared bathroom. Edward’s sneezing increased in intensity and volume. She quickly cleaned the aftermath of their lovemaking and grabbed some Benadryl. She handed Edward the pill and he wrinkled his nose. “No, Bella. That knocks me out. I’ve got a Skype meeting with Seattle PD and I’ve got to be coherent.”

“What causes allergies like this, angel?” Bella asked, her brows furrowing.

“Anything airborne. However, I only ever sneezed this badly when Jasper brought home a cat for a day when we were in college. I’m _highly_ allergic to pet dander,” Edward said.

“We don’t have any pets. We have children,” Bella snickered.

“They count as pets, don’t they?” Edward smirked before sneezing again. “Okay, I’m going to shower and then I’ll run to the store to pick up some Zyrtec. I can take that and still manage to be a functional member of society. Though, I may be allergic to our children.”

“What did you do with the cat?” Bella asked, arching her brow.

“Gave the cat to the neighbor across the hall who was a crazy cat lady,” Edward replied.

“We can’t pawn off our four children onto our neighbors,” Bella giggled.

“We do pawn them off to grandparents,” Edward laughed, waggling his brows. “Maybe they can have some grandparent time this weekend.”

“Insatiable, Cullen.”

“Only for you, gorgeous,” he smirked, swaggering to the bathroom, displaying his fine behind. Then he sneezed, smashing his head on the edge of the dresser and collapsed to the floor, groaning.

“EDWARD!”

xx PL xx

Later that morning, Edward was sitting at the kitchen island, holding an icepack to his forehead. Bella was moments from calling an ambulance. He had lost consciousness for a few moments after he sneezed so violently. However, he woke up after about five minutes, grumbling that he had a migraine. Bella helped Edward into the bathroom and stayed with him as he showered, still sneezing violently. His entire body reacted when he sneezed and it was kind of humorous to watch. Unfortunately, the knot forming on Edward’s forehead was a clear reminder his sneezing wasn’t funny, but kind of dangerous.

“You keep that icepack on your head, angel,” Bella said as she made breakfast for her children and her now grouchy husband. “I’ll get your allergy medications and if you lose consciousness again, I’m taking you to the hospital.”

“Aw, c’mon, Bella,” he grumbled.

“Quit your bitching, Edward. You sneezed so hard you smacked your head on our dresser,” Bella deadpanned.

Kyra and Owen ambled into the kitchen first. Kyra was wearing a pair of jeans and colorful top. Her reddish hair was pulled up into a high ponytail. “Whoa, Daddy! What happened?”

“I ran into a door,” he muttered, sipping his coffee.

“Must have been a hard door,” Kyra snickered, sitting next to her father.

Owen sat down, looking miserable. His eyes were red and his nose was running. Bella walked over to him, felt his forehead and pursed her lips. “What’s wrong, Owen?”

“Snuffleupagus was sneezing at the crack of dawn,” Kyra answered for her brother. Owen grumbled, nodding slowly. “Roughly about the same time as you, Dad.”

Bella and Edward caught each other’s eyes. Had Kyra heard their sexual Olympics this morning, too? Crap! Bella’s face flamed and she walked over to Edward, pinching his side. “Ouch!” Edward hissed. “Don’t attack my ribs, woman. I can barely breathe out of my nose and now you’re using those talons to impede my breathing in other ways.”

“You are an idiot, Edward,” Bella giggled. “Owen, what’s wrong, sweetie?”

“My nose is running and I can’t breathe, either,” he said, his voice all nasally. “Can I stay home from school?”

“Do you have a fever?” Edward asked.

Bella felt his forehead, shaking her head. “Sorry, buddy. You don’t have a fever. I know you’re miserable, but I think it’s just allergies,” Bella said. “Let me run to the store now and get some allergy meds. You take it before you leave for school, and you should be fine by the time you hit first period.” Bella kissed Owen’s forehead and hugged her daughter. “Edward, can  you make sure Mia and Masen are up?”

“Sure, gorgeous,” Edward said as he got off the stool. Bella darted out of the house, leaving in Edward’s Volvo. Edward was almost up the stairs when his two youngest children bounded out of their rooms. “Oh, I was just coming to check on you guys.”

“Just finishing getting ready, Daddy,” Mia said as she flipped her braid out of her jacket. “What happened to your head?”

“It looks like it hurts, Dad,” Masen said as he scratched his arms lightly. His skin was itching something awful since he had washed Wrigley. He shrugged it off, more worried about the knot on his dad’s forehead.

“It’s fine. I just had a clumsy moment; trying to imitate your mother,” he snickered. “You guys hungry?” They both nodded and followed Edward down the stairs. Mia and Masen got their breakfast ready as Kyra and a miserable Owen finished theirs, working on their homework. Ten minutes later, Bella breezed in and handed some Zyrtec to both Edward and Owen. They both begrudgingly took it. Then Owen and Kyra left the house, sprinting to catch their bus for middle school. A half hour later, Mia and Masen left for school.

“I’ve got to go to the city. Rose and I are working on editing her latest book, the third in her _Charmed_ series. Also, some movie studios are sniffing around the stories. Vampires are apparently out and witches are in,” Bella said, brushing her husband’s thick, graying mane from his forehead. “Jesus, Edward. You really nailed yourself. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’ve got a headache and the drippy faucet that is my nose isn’t helping, but I’ll survive,” he shrugged. “I’ll probably go to Starbucks to do my Skype meeting. After that, I have to drive down to Joliet to discuss some Foundation stuff with my mom.”

“Will you be home for the kids?” Bella asked.

“I’ll even pick them up,” he said as he wrapped his arms around his wife’s slender waist. “I’ll be a good father and house-husband.”

“You are not a house-husband,” Bella giggled. “You’re my sex slave.”

“You weren’t saying the same thing this morning, Mrs. Cullen,” Edward snorted. She smacked his chest, giggling quietly. “Love you, Bella. Have fun with Rose.”

“Love you, too,” she said, kissing her husband on the lips.

xx PL xx

Masen couldn’t stop itching his arms and body as he sat in school. He managed to keep it under wraps, but it was bad. A few times, he asked to go to the bathroom to put some cold water on his arms. Thinking maybe [[B1]](https://d.docs.live.net/9d331bdf3f761da7/Documents/One%20Shots/Josie%20-%20ANSOL%20F4animals%20outtake.docx#_msocom_1) [[JB2]](https://d.docs.live.net/9d331bdf3f761da7/Documents/One%20Shots/Josie%20-%20ANSOL%20F4animals%20outtake.docx#_msocom_2) [[JB3]](https://d.docs.live.net/9d331bdf3f761da7/Documents/One%20Shots/Josie%20-%20ANSOL%20F4animals%20outtake.docx#_msocom_3) the cool temperature would stop the itching.

Not. So. Much.

Today, his class went to the library to pick out free-read books. Masen made a bee-line to the computer under the guise of looking up his favorite author. However, he opened up a web browser, looking up why he could be itching so badly. He typed in ‘itchy skin’ into the search bar and clicked on a link for Mayo Clinic. Papa Marcus had gone there for his brother, Caius, when he had cancer. They were a famous hospital.

On the website there were seven possible reasons for itchy skin. Reason one, dry skin. Masen checked his skin and it wasn’t dry. Then again, his mom insisted they all use this moisturizing soap. That couldn’t be the reason.

Reason two, skin conditions or rashes. There were a lot of big words in that paragraph. Masen jotted a few of them down: eczema, psoriasis, scabies and derma-something. _What are scabies?_ Masen wondered. He continued reading, and in that paragraph, there was mention about red bumps or rashes. All along his arms, there bumps and it was on those bumps that he was the itchiest. He had chicken pox when he was a kid so he knew it wasn’t that.

Reason three, internal disease. Masen shook that off immediately. He was perfectly healthy except this itchy thing.

Reason four, nerve disorders. What are shingles?

Reason five, irritation or allergic reaction. This sounded like a close reason why Masen was itching. His dad and brother were dealing with allergies this morning. Perhaps Masen’s allergies were in his skin?

Reason six, drugs. Um, no.

Reason seven, pregnancy _. I’m a boy. A nine year old boy … no way on God’s green earth could_ _he_ _be pregnant._

“Okay, boys and girls, time to head back to the classroom,” Mrs. Smith said in her soft but commanding voice. Masen raised his hand. “Yes, Masen?”

“I just found the book I was looking for on the card catalogue. I haven’t checked it out yet. Can I have some more time?” he asked, his voice quivering slightly.

“Well, since we’re heading out to recess, that’s okay. When you’re done, head out to the playground,” Mrs. Smith said as she lined up their class. Masen silently thanked God for the invention of recess and he continued his research. He spent another ten minutes looking up those words he jotted down and was convinced he was just having an allergic reaction. When he got home, he’d ask his mom for some allergy medication and this itching issue will be a non-issue.

_Yep. That’s the plan. And I’m sticking to it._

Masen joined his class out on the playground for the last fifteen minutes of recess and settled in for the remainder of the lessons for the day. However, the itching continued, much to Masen’s annoyance. On more than one occasion, Mia poked him and hissed at him to stop scratching. Blushing, Masen nodded, trying to ignore the obnoxious itchy feeling travel across his skin.

The end of the school day didn’t come fast enough. When the bell rang, every kid ran out of the building, grateful it was Friday. Parked outside was Mia and Masen’s dad’s Volvo. “Sweet! Dad came to get us,” Mia squealed as she skipped over to the car. Edward got out and hugged both of his children. “Feeling better, Daddy?”

“Much better,” he said as he tugged on Mia’s braid. “How are you doing, Mase? You don’t look so good.”

“I think I may have the same allergies you and Owen have,” Masen explained, dropping his gaze to his dad’s Converse sneakers. “Can I get some allergy medication when we get home?”

“You’re not sneezing like me and Owen,” Edward said as he brushed Masen’s unruly hair from his face. “Let me read the box. Why do you think you’ve got allergies?”

“He’s been itching at his arms like he’s got chicken pox or something,” Mia said as she clambered into the front seat.

“You guys had chicken pox a few years ago. That’s probably not it,” Edward frowned. “Let me check the box. I don’t want to give you the medication if it’s not for the right symptoms. Come on. In you go.” Masen scowled at his sister and huffed indignantly all the way home. Back at the house, Mia darted off to play with the next door neighbor. Masen followed his dad sullenly. Scooping him up on the kitchen island, Edward pushed up Masen’s sleeves. “Jesus, Mase. You’ve rubbed the skin raw.”

“It really itches,” Masen muttered.

“Is it just on your arms?” Edward asked.

“On my belly, too,” Masen replied.

“Take off your shirt, buddy boy,” Edward commanded. Masen sighed, lifting his shirt off his body and covered all over his torso were little red dots. “Mase, this is _not_ an allergic reaction to anything. These are all flea bites. Do any of your friends have a dog or cat?”

“Um,” Masen hedged. He bit his lip, looking at the stairs, wondering how Wrigley was doing. “No?”

“Masen, are you hiding something from me?” Edward asked, his voice dropping to what all of the kids called his ‘dad voice.’ Masen looked at Edward’s shirt, avoiding his father’s angry golden eyes. Edward cupped the chin of his youngest son and seeing the sadness and fear in his eyes indicated Masen was, indeed, hiding something. “Masen, I can’t help you if you don’t tell me the truth.”

“You have to see, Daddy,” Masen said quietly, hopping off the counter. He gently tugged on Edward’s hand, leading him to his bedroom. Opening the door, Masen looked around the room. “Wrigley? Come here, boy.” A scrawny dog came out of the closet, its tail wagging excitedly when he saw his young friend. However, the older man looked shocked and a bit pissed off.

“Sit, Wrigley,” Masen whispered. Obediently, the dog obeyed. Masen looked up at his dad. “He followed me home, Dad. He was so sad and hungry. I gave him a bath and everything. Shouldn’t the fleas have been washed away?”

“Mase,” Edward sighed, rubbing his face. “This dog may belong to someone. Did he have a collar? A leash? He could have hurt you; bitten you!”

“He didn’t, Daddy!” Masen wailed. “Wrigley loves me. I took care of him when no one else did.” His blue eyes filled with tears, wrapping his tiny arms around the dog who kissed his new owner’s face. “Can we keep him, Dad?”

“Masen, Owen and I, as you heard this morning, are very allergic to dogs,” Edward sighed. “Plus, he’s got fleas, Mase. You’re covered in flea bites!”

“Can’t we take him to the vet and get him checked out? Dad, I love him and he needs me.”

Edward pursed his lips. “I’m not saying yes. Not yet. I need to talk to your mother. You need to get in the shower and scour every inch of your body _after_ you strip your bed and throw those sheets and bedspread away. I’m going to call the Larsen’s. They have a dog; maybe they can give me the name of their vet. He needs to be checked out. Wrigley may be sick or have something worse than fleas.”

Masen began bouncing, looking very much like Edward’s twin sister, Alice. “Thank you, Daddy!”

“Don’t thank me yet. Because you lied to me, you’re grounded for a week. If we do keep the dog, he’s _your_ responsibility,” Edward said sternly. Masen ran to hug his dad. “Oh, no. Not until you’ve showered, boy. I don’t want the fleas to attack me.”

“Okay, okay,” Masen nodded. “Wrigley probably should go outside to potty.”

“He didn’t go in here?” Edward asked, arching a brow.

“Doesn’t seem like it,” Masen shrugged, peering around his room.

Edward sighed. He looked down at the dog. “Come on, Wrigley. You want to outside?” The dog perked up and followed the older man. He opened the backdoor and Wrigley took off, enjoying the freedom of the backyard. Masen went about doing the chores his father asked him to do; stripping the sheets, throwing them away and washing his entire body. When he was done, Edward came upstairs and covered each of Masen’s welts with calamine lotion to take the itchiness out of his skin.

While Masen was in the shower, Edward called his sister and asked her to watch Mia, Owen and Kyra while he took Masen and the dog, Wrigley, to the vet. He got the name of the vet the Larsen’s used and they got Edward an appointment right away. Edward also called Bella, informing her about the reason behind his and Owen's allergy attack. Bella was shocked at Masen’s decision but kind of understood it. Masen had always wanted a dog, a pet. It figured one would find _him._ When Edward asked Bella about keeping the dog, she said to wait until they talked to the vet. If the dog was terminally sick, they wouldn’t keep it. If the dog was healthy enough, they’d allow Masen to keep his pet, but if it became a health hazard to those in the house, the dog would go.

Once Masen was dressed, they loaded Wrigley into the car after Alice arrived with Jasper and her crew. Edward thanked his sister, promising to take her shopping. She snorted, responding that she _needed_ a new pair of Jimmy Choos. Driving the short distance to Winfield, Edward parked outside of a small store front for Dr. Rebecca Armitage. Masen helped Wrigley out of the car, but didn’t touch him. He didn’t want any more flea bites. Inside of the immaculate office, a young woman greeted them and led Edward, Masen and Wrigley back into an examination room.

“Mr. Cullen?” called a short, older woman. She was a bit taller than Alice (who reached Edward’s collarbone) with long blond hair pulled back into a braid. She wore a pair of horn-rimmed glasses and had on a white lab coat over a pair of teal scrubs.

“Yes,” Edward smiled.

“Hi, I’m Dr. Armitage,” she said, shaking his hand. “And who’s this?”

“I’m Masen Cullen,” Masen replied, hiding shyly behind Edward’s legs. Edward chuckled, ruffling Masen’s hair.

“And this must be Wrigley,” Dr. Armitage beamed, crouching down to the dog’s level. With a doggy grin, Wrigley held up one paw which Dr. Armitage shook. “Nice to meet you, pup!”

“Did you teach him that?” Edward hissed to Masen.

Eyes wide with shock, Masen shook his head ‘no.’

“You’ve got a very smart dog, Mr. Cullen,” Dr. Armitage said, picking up Wrigley and putting him onto the examination table.

“He’s not really _our_ dog. Wrigley followed my son home,” Edward said. “What happened, Mase?”

“Yesterday, I felt like I was being followed and I was. I found Wrigley in some bushes. He was dirty, hungry and really sad,” Masen explained. “I took him home with me, gave him a bath and fed him some chicken. Oh, and his back right leg is bad. He limps.”

“Okay,” Dr. Armitage said as she felt around Wrigley’s body. “He’s definitely underweight. I shouldn’t feel his ribs like this. And you said his back right leg?” Masen nodded. Dr. Armitage felt his leg and pursed her lips. “Anything else?”

“He’s got fleas,” Edward deadpanned. “Masen’s covered with flea bites. We need to fumigate his room.”

“Well, I’ve got to run several tests, administer his vaccinations, give him a flea bath and such. You have a reprieve for tonight. Pick him up tomorrow at the same time,” Dr. Armitage explained.

“Why would anyone want to get rid of him?” Masen asked as he gently petted Wrigley’s head. “He’s such a good dog.”

“Masen, people aren’t nice,” Dr. Armitage explained. “Sometimes they don’t realize how much work it is to take care of a dog. It takes time, patience, money and a kind heart. If I had to fathom a guess, Wrigley’s previous owners got some bad news about him and dumped him on the side of the road.”

“Why?” Masen sniffled.

“You said his back right leg is hurt, right? He could have torn his ACL or done damage to his hips. That costs money to fix,” Dr. Armitage said.

“Not everyone is as well-off as we are, Mase,” Edward said as he hugged his son. “If Wrigley needs an operation to fix his leg, we can afford it.”

“I don’t want to lose him, Daddy,” Masen whimpered, burying his head into his father’s neck. Edward picked up his crying boy, trying to comfort him. Hearing his tears solidified his decision to keep the dog. His allergies be damned.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Mr. Cullen?” Dr. Armitage asked quietly.

“We’ll be here. Masen and I have some shopping to do,” Edward snickered, kissing his son’s head.

xx PL xx

With the help of Dr. Armitage, Edward and Masen spent nearly a thousand dollars buying necessities for having a dog. When he saw the total, Masen’s eyes bugged out and Edward explained this was one of the reasons why people gave up their pets. The cost could be astronomical. Then again, Edward insisted on the best for his children and now, his pet. While at the store, he asked some of the best solutions on getting rid of fleas after describing the situation with Masen and Wrigley. Based on what they said, Masen’s bed was probably already infested and needed to be replaced. Edward also got the name of an exterminator to fumigate the bedroom.

Once they got home, after eating at a small diner, Edward and Masen carried their booty into the house. Bella had assembled everyone into the family room to discuss the newest addition to the Cullen household. She obviously wasn’t too thrilled about the prospect, but upon seeing the bright smile on her youngest son’s face, she couldn’t deny him anything. Though she was in agreement that Wrigley was Masen’s responsibility.

“Okay, kids,” Edward began, “Masen brought home a guest yesterday.” Edward shot a look at his son.

“A dog,” Masen said, blushing slightly. “His name is Wrigley. He was following me and I couldn’t say no.”

“Where’s this dog now?” Kyra asked as she crossed her legs.

“He’s at the vet. He’s got several medical issues that needed to be addressed, namely fleas,” Edward said, wrinkling his nose.

“EWWW! That’s why you were scratching?” Mia shrieked, running to sit next to Kyra. “Gross, Mase!”

“I didn’t know!” Masen hollered back.

“Guys,” Bella chided. Mia sent Masen another nasty look and Masen just scowled at her. “While the dog is at the vet, we’ve got set a few ground rules for Wrigley.”

“Surely, we’re not keeping him,” Owen said as he blew his nose. “I can’t breathe.”

“Zyrtec will be our best friend, Owen,” Edward sighed. “I’m struggling, too. But, Wrigley and Masen formed a bond I don’t have the heart to break.” He ruffled Masen’s hair who hugged his dad’s leg. “Now early tomorrow, we’re going to have exterminators check out the house since Wrigley had fleas. Obviously, a pretty serious case based on Masen’s skin.”

“Masen is going to get a new bed and a new bed spread. Mia, I’m almost certain I may get you new sheets since you were close to the dog, too. The rest of you, we’ll wait and see what the exterminators say,” Bella said, wrinkling her nose. “Wrigley will be, ultimately, Masen’s responsibility. However, you all will help him as much as you can. Owen, you will be living on Zyrtec. Your dad is having as a hard time as you.”

“Okay,” Owen grumbled.

“What does Wrigley look like?” Kyra asked.

“He’s kind of small with a short black coat with red added in,” Masen described. “I don’t think he’s a pure breed. More like a mutt.”

“He is cute and very smart,” Edward smiled.

 “I’m kind of excited,” Kyra said, grinning happily. “Not happy about the fleas, but it’ll be cool to have a dog.” Owen huffed indignantly, obviously not very thrilled about the prospect of having a guest that was going to make him miserable without allergy medication. Mia was a little more cautious than Kyra but seemed to have some excitement about having Wrigley.

“Now tomorrow, you all will meet Wrigley for the first time. Masen and I are going to pick him up in the afternoon,” Edward said. “Any questions?” No one said anything. With a nod, everyone scattered except Masen. He was dancing on his feet, nervous about something. “What’s up, little man?”

“Thank you, Daddy,” he said quietly, hugging Edward’s waist. Feeling the strength behind that hug made Edward’s heart swell. He picked up his son, hugging him closely.

“Don’t forget to thank your mom, too,” Edward whispered. Masen released his dad and ran to hug Bella. He mumbled something into Bella’s stomach, which she laughed it.

“If it makes my baby boy smile like this, I’m thrilled to have a dog,” Bella said as she kissed Masen’s forehead. “Now, your room is off limits. Owen is kind of upset with the whole situation, so tonight, you’re sleeping in the basement. While the exterminators are here, we’re going to pick out a new bed, new sheets and decorations. Aunt Alice is going to meet us with Gianna. We’re going to give your bedrooms a makeover. Make it more grown up.”

“Really? No more trains?” Masen squeaked.

“You can have whatever you want,” Bella smiled, ruffling Masen’s hair. “However, like your father, I am disappointed in you that you lied to us.” Bella sighed. “Why didn’t you tell us about Wrigley before?”

“I was worried you’d make me give him back,” Masen frowned.

“First off, where would he go? He followed you home,” Edward said as he sat down, pulling Masen into his lap. “We’re not going to force him onto the streets.”

“Secondly, we would have rather talked about it,” Bella explained. “We could have gotten him checked out before you got covered in flea bites.”

“Oh,” Masen said, scratching at his arms. Edward stopped him.

“Now, your dad said you are grounded for a week for lying, right?” Bella asked. Masen nodded forlornly. “Well, I happen to agree. In addition, no television either.”

“Okay,” Masen sniffled, a few ears falling out of his eyes.

“Masen, you have to understand that you can talk to us at any time. We love you sweetie,” Bella said as she hugged him close. Masen hugged her back and padded upstairs. “Where are you going, Mase?”

“I need to grab a book from my room,” he said. “I’m going to go to the basement and read a little bit.”

“Mase, if you want, you can go on the computer and research more about dogs,” Edward said. Masen’s blue eyes twinkled. “No more than an hour, then bed, alright?”

“Cool! Thanks, Dad,” Masen said as he bounced up the stairs.

“You know, we’re going to regret this,” Bella hissed, giggling quietly.

“Yep,” Edward sighed, running his hand through his hair. “But seeing that face, Bella, when the doctor told him the reasons why people dump their dogs, it shattered me. Masen wants to make a difference in Wrigley’s life.”

“I think that dog made a difference in Masen’s life,” Bella whispered. Edward looked at his beautiful wife and kissed her lips gently. “I’ll stock up on the Zyrtec, angel. You and Owen are gonna need it.”

xx PL xx

The next day, the exterminators arrived early. Thankfully, after a complete inspection of the house, the infestation was only in Masen’s room. They sprayed everything down and said everything should be fine in a day. While the exterminators were at the house, Bella took Mia and Masen to the mall to get new bedding for their bedroom makeovers. Alice and Gianna also joined them. Younger never missed an opportunity to shop or spend money. Owen and Kyra went to hang out with Adam, Ava and Lucas at Jasper’s.

Shortly before Edward had to go back to the vet, Bella came back with bags of goodies for the great bedroom makeovers. She also mentioned they needed to get some paint, but Edward would get that later. Masen was anxious to pick up his pet, desperate to see how he fared at the vet.

Parking outside of the storefront, Edward and Masen went inside. Immediately, they were ushered into the same examination room. Masen tried to sit down but was too excited, too giddy to stay in one spot. Edward chuckled as his son bounced around the room, looking at various leaflets and flyers. Ten minutes after they arrived, Dr. Armitage walked in with a very dopey looking Wrigley. Masen gave her a harsh look. “Relax, Masen. I had to give him some general anesthesia to clean his teeth. He’ll be fine in a few hours,” Dr. Armitage said as she put Wrigley on the examination table.

Masen lovingly petted his dog’s head. Wrigley put his head on Masen’s shoulder, his tail wagging slowly, but happily.

“Here, Mase. Put on his collar,” Edward said, handing Masen a blue Cubs collar with a red tag that said ‘Wrigley’ on it.

“Can we talk outside, Mr. Cullen?” Dr. Armitage said, her eyes displaying some sadness.

“Edward, please call me Edward,” he replied, following the doctor out into the hallway and into another room, presumably Dr. Armitage’s office. “What’s wrong with Wrigley?”

“Well, I was right about the ACL. It’s torn and will need surgery to repair it,” Dr. Armitage explained.

“Anything else?”

“Just some minor health issues that antibiotics and medications can clear up,” she said. “He’s an older dog, Edward. About eight years old. Based on the decay in his teeth, he’s been on the streets for a while. I’m surprised he survived that long.”

“How long do you think the dog will live?” Edward asked. “I don’t want to take him in and then have Wrigley die within six months.”

“A couple of years. Despite his time out on the streets, he’s well-adjusted and fairly healthy. His biggest health concern is his knee,” she said.

“How much will it cost to repair it?”

“About $3500,” she replied. “My guess is that is the reason why he was ‘dumped'. Not everyone can afford that.”

“No, not everyone can,” Edward said thoughtfully. “But, we can. How soon can you operate?”

“I ran some blood work. He’s healthy in that respect, but he needs to have his vaccinations up to date before I perform surgery on him,” Dr. Armitage said, flipping through a calendar. “The earliest I would recommend is in a month.”

“Let’s schedule for then,” Edward nodded. “Also, do you microchip dogs here?”

“I’ll get the gun,” she smiled. “You’re a blessing, Edward. Not many people would take in a stray like that.”

“I can’t handle bullies and I was always an outcast,” Edward replied, smiling softly. “His previous owners were bullies and in my opinion, assholes. Everyone deserves to be loved. My son will love Wrigley until he takes his last breath.” He took a deep breath, grimacing slightly. “What’s the bad news for this visit?”

“I’m cutting you a deal, Edward. Everything today was half-price. It’s the least I could do for someone opening their home to a lost puppy soul. $125 plus a medical disposal fee, which is full cost, at $30,” Dr. Armitage said. Edward handed over his credit card, paying the fees for Wrigley’s medical expenses. Afterward, they walked back into the examination room. Dr. Armitage explained everything she told Edward to Masen. She also handed him several brochures about dog ownership and taking care of a pet. The last thing she did was insert a microchip, programming it for Edward’s address and cell phone if Wrigley got lost. They left the vet, making the appointments for the follow up vaccinations.

xx PL xx

The next few weeks were spent getting to know Wrigley. He truly loved Masen, his savior. Kyra also loved the dog while Mia and Owen kind of steered clear of the four-legged ball of excitement. Mia was still kind of miffed at the fact that Masen got to keep the dog he _lied_ about when Mia had been asking for a pet for as long as she could remember. Owen just hated constantly sneezing in the presence of the dog and avoided him at all costs.

The morning of Wrigley’s surgery was a rainy one. Masen hated leaving Wrigley at the vet, but knew it was necessary. Masen waited by the phone with bated breath after they dropped off Wrigley. As soon as the phone rang, Masen picked it up and nearly dragged Edward out of his office, without shoes! Once they picked up the dog, Masen doted on his best friend, caring for him and taking great pride in making sure Wrigley took his medicine, ate enough and was able to go outside.

That devotion continued for the next few years. In fact, it was Masen that realized Wrigley wasn’t his usual ‘spritely self,’ one day when he was in sixth grade. Wrigley had eventually become a treasured member of the family and was loved by everyone in the house. Well, everyone except Owen. When Masen came home from school, Owen mentioned Wrigley had thrown up in his room. Masen checked on the dog and found him sitting in his bed in Masen’s bedroom. His tail was barely wagging and he looked sad. Picking up his cell phone, he dialed his father. “Dad, something’s wrong with Wrigley,” Masen said frantically.

“Okay, relax. Let me call Dr. Armitage and see if we can get in to see her,” Edward said, trying to calm his very upset son. They hung up and Masen gently caressed Wrigley’s muzzle. His best friend whimpered, trying to get closer to Masen. He just tenderly petted his dog until Edward came home. Wrigley couldn’t get up and had to be carried by Edward into the car. Masen was beside himself, crying quietly.

Inside of the office, Dr. Armitage began running tests, trying to figure out what was wrong with Wrigley. An x-ray confirmed their worst fear. Wrigley had cancer of the bones. His hips were mottled with tumors and they traveled up his spine. Masen was inconsolable. Edward held his son as he completely lost his mind. Dr. Armitage left Edward with Masen and Wrigley in the room. Wrigley wanted to go to his favorite human but his body was in agony.

“What can we do?” Masen whimpered, putting his head on his father’s shoulder.

“There’s not much you can do, Mase,” Edward said, his voice thick with emotion. “Wrigley is in a lot of pain.”

“Dr. Armitage can’t fix it?” Masen asked, looking up at his dad, praying his father had the answers to make it better.

“I don’t think so, buddy,” Edward whispered. “Now, here’s the question: do you want to take Wrigley home with us and let him stay in our house until he dies?”

“Yes, that,” Masen said stubbornly.

“Or, let Dr. Armitage put him out of his misery? Mase, Wrigley can’t walk anymore. He’s riddled with tumors.”

“I don’t want him to die, Daddy,” Masen sniffled.

“We can get another dog, Mase.”

“I don’t want another dog. I want Wrigley,” Masen spat. “I love him, Dad. Why can’t we make him better?” He walked over to his best friend, caressing his sad face. However, Masen could see the pain in Wrigley’s eyes. “What do you want, boy? Do you want to go home? Or do you want the pain to stop?”

Achingly slow, Wrigley sat up and snuggled up to Masen. Tears were running down Edward’s face. He was saying goodbye. Masen knew it, too. He wrapped his arms around his friend and nodded. “I love you, Wrigley. I’ll never forget you.” Wrigley licked Masen’s face, his tail wagging sluggishly. “I want him to not be in pain, Dad. I want to hold him, though.”

“Okay,” Edward said, hugging both Wrigley and his very brave son. Dr. Armitage must have been waiting at the door. She walked in, tears streaming down her face, carrying a syringe. “You know what we want?”

“Yeah. It’s for the best,” she said, giving them a watery smile. “I know you’re sad, Masen. Wrigley is hurting and he has no chance to get better.”

“I know,” he murmured, rubbing Wrigley’s nose. Wrigley was gently kissing Masen’s hand. “I also know we loved him with all of our hearts. He knew what it was like to be loved. He didn’t die on the street or by a car. We loved him. We. Loved. Him. We will always love him.” Masen wiped his face. “I’m ready. So is Wrigley.”

Edward walked over to Masen and held his hand. Dr. Armitage gently guided Wrigley to the table and kissed his head. Masen wrapped his arms around Wrigley as Dr. Armitage injected the syringe into his leg. Wrigley whimpered quietly. His eyes drooped and his breathing slowed. Masen sobbed quietly against his chest, murmuring his love for the dog. With a heavy sigh, Wrigley let go and he was gone.

Once they got back from the vet, the entire family waited outside as Edward carried Wrigley out of the car. He was wrapped in a blanket. Jasper guided them into the backyard where there was an impromptu funeral set up. Bella held her weeping son as Jasper and Edward gently lay Wrigley into the grave that was dug in the backyard. Not a word was said, just solemn goodbyes and quiet tears. Before Jasper started digging to cover the body, Masen held up his hands. “Wait. He needs his favorite toy!” He darted inside and grabbed a stuffed green frog that made a ‘ribbit’ sound when squeezed. Masen hugged the toy. “Take care of him, Kermit.” He tossed him into the hole and together, Edward and Jasper buried Wrigley.

The death of the dog hit Masen hard over the next few days, but he knew it was for the best. He remembered when he broke his wrist in fourth grade and that hurt really badly. If that was how Wrigley felt all over his body, then he had made the right decision.

A couple weeks later, Bella mentioned the prospect of getting another dog. Masen shook his head. He wasn’t ready yet. He needed to grieve his beloved pet. Bella was concerned about Masen and pulled him aside. “Do you not want another dog?” she asked him.

“Possibly, but not now,” Masen said. “I feel like I’m cheating on Wrigley. When I’m ready for another dog, I’ll let you know.”

“Okay,” she said, brushing his hair from his forehead. “I know this has been tough on you.” Edward walked in as Bella was talking to Masen. “Your dad said you were very brave at the vet’s office.”

“He was brave and strong,” Edward said as he wrapped his arm around Masen’s shoulders. “I was proud of you, Mase. I know you wanted to bring Wrigley home with us and get as much time with him as you could, but you thought about Wrigley.”

“I didn’t want him to suffer,” Masen said, his eyes filling with tears. “I kind of know what you guys feel like when _we_ get hurt. I couldn’t bear to see him like that.” He sighed. “I loved him and will always love my dog. It was like he picked us to be his people.”

“That dog loved you so much, Masen,” Bella said. “I miss him.”

“Me too,” Edward murmured. “You’ll always remember your first pet.”

“What was yours, Dad?” Masen asked.

“Aunt Alice,” he snorted. “She’s still around.”

Masen chuckled. “Mom?”

“I had a hamster. Fuzzybutt,” she giggled. “My mom said I needed a pet. So, we got Fuzzybutt. He lived for two years and died in his sleep. He was cute.”

“I know I’ve been down and sad. But …” Masen trailed off.

“You’re entitled to feel that way, Mase. You lost your first true love,” Bella said wistfully. “If you ever want to talk, you know we’re here.”

“I know,” Masen said as he hugged both his parents. “And Wrigley wasn’t my first true love. He was my ‘puppy love.’”

“A puppy love that wasn’t a puppy,” Edward laughed.

“But he’ll always be a puppy in my mind,” Masen said. He turned and walked up the stairs, stopping briefly. “When we do get another dog, I want to choose a rescue dog. They deserve the same love as Wrigley did.”

“Just not now?” Edward asked.

“Give me some time, but eventually,” Masen replied. “I may have loved Wrigley, but I love you both more. I’m so lucky to have you as my parents.” He gave them both a crooked smile and turned to go upstairs.  

**A/N: So, here’s my one-shot for the Fandom for Animals … I apologize for the heart-fail at the end. However, having animals comes with the sad realization that they don’t live forever. Though I give Masen MAJOR kudos for doing what he did for Wrigley. I’d be a mess. Hell, I was a mess while I was writing it. I had to find my own dog (who was rescued from a puppy mill) and give her some loving.**

**Anyhow, some thank you’s ~ Thanks to Evilnat for creating the banner for this story. What she does is nothing short of amazing. Girl, you rock! I am in awe of what you can do with a computer and photographs. Thank you to A-Jasper-for-Me for beta'ing this beastly story (11k words, kids!). Finally, thanks Ysar and the people coordinating this fundraiser. There are dogs, cats, hamsters, gerbils and goldfish that need our help. Your donations do that. Thank you!**

* * *

 [[B1]](https://d.docs.live.net/9d331bdf3f761da7/Documents/One%20Shots/Josie%20-%20ANSOL%20F4animals%20outtake.docx#_msoanchor_1)Just thinking this sounds more like the thoughts of a kid his age.

 [[JB2]](https://d.docs.live.net/9d331bdf3f761da7/Documents/One%20Shots/Josie%20-%20ANSOL%20F4animals%20outtake.docx#_msoanchor_2)

 [[JB3]](https://d.docs.live.net/9d331bdf3f761da7/Documents/One%20Shots/Josie%20-%20ANSOL%20F4animals%20outtake.docx#_msoanchor_3)


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